New Law Requires Colorado’s Marijuana Edibles to Have Special Labels

To combat the controversy regarding marijuana edibles being difficult to distinguish from non-marijuana products, Colorado has mandated changes. From now on, all products containing marijuana must be marked with a diamond-shaped stamp that includes the letters “THC” within the diamond. The packaging and the product must be stamped with the standardized symbol.

Colorado calls this “universal symbol” a solution to ending the confusion between regular cookies, candy bars and other marijuana edibles from traditional forms of the treats, according to The Washington Post. Edibles already have to be in childproof zippered and lidded containers. Warnings must also be clearly posted on packages as well.

Representative Jonathan Singer said, “We want to ensure that people genuinely know the difference between a Duncan Hines brownie and a marijuana brownie, just by looking at it.”

Items that are bulk or multi-packs, like packs of drinks are concerned, new packaging is required and all packages must say “Keep out of the reach of children” on them. The owners of BluKudu had to purchase new molds to make their chocolate marijuana edible candies. Owner, Andrew Schrot agreed that the changes were necessary as the recreational marijuana market began.

He said, “This is not your normal chocolate bar. There’s something different about it. You can tell just from looking at it.”

Schrot also said, “Some of the industry expectation was, ‘Let’s keep it on the parents and the users in keeping it away from children or people who shouldn’t use it. But you know, sometimes mistakes happen. You turn your back and a product is left out.”

Starting in 2017, Colorado will enforce a ban on products shaped like pieces of fruit that look like animals or humans. A ban is already in place that prohibits marijuana edibles from having cartoon characters or child-enticing imagery on the packages.

Colorado’s Marijuana Enforcement Division’s head of enforcement Ron Kammerzell said, “It’s really a step in enhancing public safety and making sure that marijuana is out of the hands of children.”